How To Get Rid of Dead Rat Smell

This page is an expert guide on getting rid of a dead rat smell in your home using the products and methods suggested by our experienced pest control specialists. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee you will not have any lingering dead rat smell any more in your home.

If you've encountered a rat in your home and were successful in killing it, you may be quick to celebrate. However, a dead rat's odor may be just as difficult to remove from your home than the rat itself.

Not all pest control programs go according to plan. While rats can be captured or killed by using rodenticide baits and lethal traps, if the rodent happens to die in an area that is inaccessible or hard to reach, they will start to decompose and leave a really awful stench. This odor may even attract other pests like flies and flesh-eating bugs that will be attracted by the odor and will feast on the rotting carcass.

Solutions Pest & Lawn has a wide selection of odor control products that are proven effective to eliminate even the worst of rat and animal odors. These are products the pros use and keep handy when tackling a rodent issue and conducting sanitation after a rodent kill. On this page, you will learn more about some of these featured products as well as learn how to dispose of a terrible dead rat smell all by yourself.

Identification

Rats carry harmful diseases, reproduce at an alarming rate, and even a small invasion of a single rat can multiply and create an uncontrollable infestation very quickly. Killing these trespassing rodents with a rodenticide bait can resolve one issue but can lead to an odor issue. This usually occurs when the rodents who have consumed lethal bait can’t be found after they crawl up into attics, walls, vents, and ceilings where they die.

As the dead rat begins to decompose, the odor their dead carcasses give off can be awful and overwhelming. The smell is generated by a combination of various chemicals including sulfur dioxide, methane, benzene derivatives, and long-chain hydrocarbons. This mixture of noxious gases produces a smell that is nauseating and off-putting to nearly all creatures except for vultures and filth flies.

The smell of a dead animal or rodent can linger and produce an even stronger odor with the passage of time as more and more of the rotting carcass decomposes in the span of a 6-10 week period.

Inspection

It is much easier to tackle a dead rat smell issue when you know that you have been dealing with rodents or other invading animals that have been trespassing in your attic or basement. In the case that you weren’t even aware of a dead rodent or animal in or around your property until you noticed the odor, locating the offending creature may not be an easy task.

Where To Look

As unpleasant as it sounds, you will have to follow your nose and sniff around until you find the part of your home where the odor is the strongest. Check attics, air vents, wall voids, your basement as these are common areas where they could be found.

What To Look For 

What you are trying to look for is where the dead rat carcass is. If you're unable to find the dead rat or cannot reach them, look for the presence of insects since the decomposing bodies attract a slew of different bugs. Observe any insect activity, for instance, flies hanging around a wall or vent. This will be an indicator of where the dead carcass is.

When the rat carcass is finally found, pick it up carefully and place the rotting body inside a plastic bag. Make sure that you are wearing gloves and have on a mask to protect yourself since dead carcasses can carry a variety of different diseases and are unsanitary. You may also have to remove and dispose of the clothes you wore while retrieving the body.

Treatment

Once the rat is disposed of, that doesn’t mean the smell will just disappear. This is when it is necessary to be equipped with an odor neutralizer. These don’t just emit a pleasant scent, they can literally take the odor away and absorb it so it is no longer permeating through the air.

Step 1 - Apply Rat Sorb Odor Eliminator

Rat Sorb is an effective odor eliminating product used mainly to get rid of dead rat smell which may be coming from inside walls, attics and other hard to reach areas. All you need to do is soak a cotton ball in rat sorb or dilute rat sorb into a sprayer and apply where the odor is strongest. Continue to reapply the product until the odor is completely gone.

Step 2 - Use an Odor Removing Sponge

Alternatively, you can buy odor removing sponge such as Nature's Air Sponge Odor Eliminator. This product is essentially an odor absorbent and will remove the stench of the dead rat in no time. Just place the sponge in the area where the smell is coming and it will be gone in as little as few days. The sponge can also be placed farther away from the smell and still work just fine.

Prevention

To prevent having to deal with an awful smell of a dead rat, you will have to make it hard for a rat to sneak into your home to begin with. Ensure that your doors and windows are not left open and seal off any cracks and crevices to make it hard for a rat to slip through. A large rat can actually fit themselves into a hole the size of a quarter so no hole or gap is too small to be sealed. Utilize an exclusion tool such as Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh in areas around plumbing and outdoor points of entry.

Ensure the hygiene standards of your kitchen and other parts of the house are well-maintained and make sure your trash is regularly taken out and are always sealed tightly to discourage rats from seeking out your home.

Key Takeaways

• While rats are a problem when they are alive and trespassing in your home, they can also be a problem when they have died in your home and can't be reached for disposal via decomposition. This produces an awful odor that can linger for weeks without intervention.
• We recommend applying odor neutralizers like Rat Sorb Odor Eliminator or Earth Care Odor Removal Bag which are designed to absorb foul smells. 
• Prevent dealing with dead rat smells by carrying out exclusion and sanitation measures to make it less likely for rats to trespass into your home.